System for Providing an Overview of Patient Medical Condition

ABSTRACT

A system provides an overview of patient medical condition by automatically converting a financial diagnosis description of a medical condition, into clinical terminology and associating a clinical diagnosis with a patient in a record that persists the association across multiple patient visits for a lifetime type medical condition. A system provides an overview of patient medical condition identifying both long term and short term medical conditions. The system includes a designation processor for designating an identified patient medical condition as being long term in response to user command. At least one repository stores information associating a designated long term patient medical condition with a patient and with a plurality of encounter identifiers identifying corresponding interactions of the patient with a healthcare provider organization and medical conditions associated with the encounters. A user interface initiates generation of data representing a composite display image window including data identifying a designated long term patient medical condition together with encounters and medical conditions associated with the encounters providing a user an overview of long term and short term medical conditions of a patient.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No.11/862,775, filed Sep. 27, 2007, which claims the benefit of priority toU.S. Provisional Application No. 60/827,768 filed Oct. 2, 2006, all ofwhich are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention concerns a system for providing an overview of patientmedical condition identifying both long term and short term medicalconditions and associated encounters (e.g., visits, treatment episodes).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In known patient medical record management systems, a clinical diagnosisis added to a patient record, but in the record there is typically noassociation with a financial reimbursement related code diagnosisdescription, such as an ICD9 code. The financial diagnosis code isassociated with a patient visit and needs to be re-entered when apatient continues with visits to treat medical conditions which continuewith the patient for an extended duration such as over a patientlifetime. Such medical conditions include, diabetes, congestive heartfailure, and cancer, for example. Known systems employ financial systemparadigms, in which visit identifier, and clinical diagnosis andassociated code are typically re-entered for each visit.

In known systems, a clinical diagnosis is re-entered into a patientmedical record management system in association with a visit record inresponse to a financial system requirement. Such systems fail toautomatically manage a diagnosis which persists for a patient lifetimeand burdens a clinician with a requirement to repetitively re-enter aclinical diagnosis in association with a visit record. Known systemsalso fail to provide a bridge between a financial diagnosis and clinicaldiagnosis. For example, an ICD9 code 174.2 description is: Malignantneoplasm of female breast Upper-inner quadrant and a correspondingclinical description is Breast Cancer. Known systems fail toautomatically link financial and clinical diagnoses for use inappropriate record maintenance. A system according to inventionprinciples addresses these deficiencies and related problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system automatically converts a financial diagnosis description of amedical condition, such as an ICD 9 code, into clinical terminology usedby clinicians and associates a clinical diagnosis with a patient in arecord that persists the association across multiple patient visits andnot just for one visit. A system provides an overview of patient medicalcondition identifying both long term conditions (e.g., diabetes,congestive heart failure, and cancer) and short term medical conditions.The system includes a designation processor for designating anidentified patient medical condition as being long term in response touser command. At least one repository stores information associating adesignated long term patient medical condition with a patient and with aplurality of encounter identifiers identifying correspondinginteractions of the patient with a healthcare provider organization andmedical conditions associated with the encounters. A user interfaceinitiates generation of data representing a composite display imagewindow including data identifying a designated long term patient medicalcondition together with encounters and medical conditions associatedwith the encounters providing a user an overview of long term and shortterm medical conditions of a patient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a system for providing an overview display of patientmedical condition identifying both long term and short term medicalconditions, according to invention principles.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a process involving providing an overview ofpatient medical condition and a care plan for long term and short termmedical conditions, according to invention principles.

FIG. 3 shows user interface display images including data identifying adesignated long term patient medical condition, encounters and medicalconditions associated with the encounters as an overview of long termand short term medical conditions of a patient, according to inventionprinciples.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a process performed by a system forproviding an overview display of patient medical condition identifyingboth long term and short term medical conditions, according to inventionprinciples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Known systems partition treatment and diagnostic procedure informationinto records of multiple different visits of a patient with one or morehealthcare provider organizations. Known systems thereby create adisjointed record which cannot be viewed in one location. In contrast, asystem according to invention principles associates a clinical diagnosiswith a patient, enabling treatments, diagnostic studies and clinicaldocumentation to be stored in a patient record. The system provides aunified patient history of a diagnosis and automatically converts afinancial diagnosis description of a medical condition, such as an ICD 9code, into clinical terminology used by clinicians. The systemassociates a clinical diagnosis with a patient, not a visit and persiststhe association across multiple patient visits and not just for onevisit. Further, the system associates particular processing functionswith a certain diagnostic type, such as cancer and the system triggersinitiation of additional necessary clinical procedures for performanceby a clinician. For this purpose system 10 adds tasks to a clinician ordevice task list. For example, in response to a cancer diagnosis thesystem initiates presentation of diagnosis and disease staging dialogsto a user with appropriate security credentials.

A processor, as used herein, operates under the control of an executableapplication to (a) receive information from an input information device,(b) process the information by manipulating, analyzing, modifying,converting and/or transmitting the information, and/or (c) route theinformation to an output information device. A processor may use, orcomprise the capabilities of, a controller or microprocessor, forexample. The processor may operate with a display processor orgenerator. A display processor or generator is a known element forgenerating signals representing display images or portions thereof. Aprocessor and a display processor may comprise a combination of,hardware, firmware, and/or software.

An executable application, as used herein, comprises code or machinereadable instructions for conditioning the processor to implementpredetermined functions, such as those of an operating system, a contextdata acquisition system or other information processing system, forexample, in response to user command or input. An executable procedureis a segment of code or machine readable instruction, sub-routine, orother distinct section of code or portion of an executable applicationfor performing one or more particular processes. These processes mayinclude receiving input data and/or parameters, performing operations onreceived input data and/or performing functions in response to receivedinput parameters, and providing resulting output data and/or parameters.A user interface (UI), as used herein, comprises one or more displayimages, generated by a display processor and enabling user interactionwith a processor or other device and associated data acquisition andprocessing functions.

The UI also includes an executable procedure or executable application.The executable procedure or executable application conditions thedisplay processor to generate signals representing the UI displayimages. These signals are supplied to a display device which displaysthe image for viewing by the user. The executable procedure orexecutable application further receives signals from user input devices,such as a keyboard, mouse, light pen, touch screen or any other meansallowing a user to provide data to a processor. The processor, undercontrol of an executable procedure or executable application,manipulates the UI display images in response to signals received fromthe input devices. In this way, the user interacts with the displayimage using the input devices, enabling user interaction with theprocessor or other device. The functions and process steps herein may beperformed automatically or wholly or partially in response to usercommand. An activity (including a step) performed automatically isperformed in response to executable instruction or device operationwithout user direct initiation of the activity. Workflow comprises asequence of tasks performed by a device or worker or both. An object ordata object comprises a grouping of data, executable instructions or acombination of both or an executable procedure.

A workflow processor, as used herein, processes data to determine tasksto add to a task list, remove from a task list or modifies tasksincorporated on, or for incorporation on, a task list. A task list is alist of tasks for performance by a worker or device or a combination ofboth. A. workflow processor may or may not employ a workflow engine. Aworkflow engine, as used herein, is a processor executing in response topredetermined process definitions that implement processes responsive toevents and event associated data. The workflow engine implementsprocesses in sequence and/or concurrently, responsive to eventassociated data to determine tasks for performance by a device and orworker and for updating task lists of a device and a worker to includedetermined tasks. A process definition is definable by a user andcomprises a sequence of process steps including one or more, of start,wait, decision and task allocation steps for performance by a device andor worker, for example. An event is an occurrence affecting operation ofa process implemented using a process definition.

A Workflow Management System is a software system that managesprocesses. It includes a process definition function that allows usersto define a process that should be followed, an Event Monitor, whichcaptures events from a Healthcare Information System and communicatesthe results to the Workflow Management System. A processor in theManagement System tracks which processes are running, for whichpatients, and what step needs to be executed next, according to aprocess definition. The Management System includes a procedure fornotifying clinicians of a task to be performed, through their worklists(task lists) and a procedure for allocating and assigning tasks tospecific users or specific teams. A document or record comprises acompilation of data in electronic form and is the equivalent of a paperdocument and may comprise a single, self-contained unit of information.

FIG. 1 shows system 10 for providing an overview display of patientmedical condition identifying both long term and short term medicalconditions. System 10 includes client devices (workstations) 12 and 14,repository 17 and server 20 bidirectionally communicating via network21. Server 20 includes designation processor 25, workflow processor 29,order entry system 35 and converter 15. Designation processor 25designates an identified patient medical condition as being long term inresponse to user command. At least one repository 17 stores informationassociating a designated long term patient medical condition with apatient and with multiple encounter identifiers identifyingcorresponding interactions of the patient with a healthcare providerorganization and with medical conditions associated with the encounters.User interface 26 initiates generation of data representing a compositedisplay image window including data identifying a designated long termpatient medical condition together with encounters and medicalconditions associated with the encounters providing a user an overviewof long term and short term medical conditions of a patient. Thecomposite display image window is presented on workstation 12 (orworkstation 14).

Workflow processor 29 automatically prompts a user to confirm additionof a task to a task list of a healthcare worker in response to,designation of an identified patient medical condition as being longterm and data identifying at least one of, (a) a short term medicalcondition of the patient, (b) an order for treatment to be administeredto the patient and (c) a laboratory test result of the patient. Theidentified patient medical condition is identified from a conditionrepresentative code in a predetermined code set. Workflow processor 29in server 20 manages addition, deletion and modification of tasks to beperformed by a worker or device as well as presentation of task lists ina window area in a composite display image window. Converter 15automatically translates a code representing the identified patientmedical condition to a text phrase representing the identified patientmedical condition (clinical diagnosis) understandable by a clinician.Converter 15 automatically translates a medical condition representativecode to a text phrase using a predetermined map associating codes withone or more corresponding text phrases indicating one or more medicalconditions. Converter 15 uses additional patient information includingpatient assessments, demographic data (e.g., age, weight, heightgender), diagnosis text and other information acquired from patientrecords to select between different text phrases associated with aparticular code.

Converter 15 converts a financial description, which is not used byclinicians (e.g., a code such as an ICD9 code), into a correspondingcommonly used clinical description of a diagnosis. The clinicaldiagnosis is associated with a patient as well as with recordsassociated with multiple different patient visits involved in anextended duration (e.g. a lifetime) medical condition such as diabetes,congestive heart failure, and cancer. System 10 provides a lifetimehistory of a clinical diagnosis and organizes clinically relevant data(diagnostics, treatment, notes) by associating the clinically relevantdata with an appropriate clinical diagnosis. Thereby providing aphysician with a single entry point display image window for viewingpatient information. In situations in which a primary physician may notbe available, this expedites a process for an attending physician toreview patient history and determine a course of action, for example.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a process employed by system 10 in providingan overview of patient medical condition and a care plan for long termand short term medical conditions. The steps of FIG. 2 may be performedwholly or partially automatically in other embodiments. The process ofFIG. 2 employs user interface display images as illustrated in FIG. 3including data identifying a designated long term patient medicalcondition, encounters and medical conditions associated with theencounters providing as an overview of long term and short term medicalconditions of a patient. In step 203 (FIG. 2), a user selects aparticular patient from a census list of patients presented in a userinterface image displayed on workstation 12 (FIG. 1) and that isassociated with a particular physician, for example. In step 205 aclinician selects CDP (Clinical Data Processing) function 311 in displayimage 303 (FIG. 3) to initiate generation of data representing compositedisplay image window 323 including data identifying a designated longterm patient medical condition (e.g., lung cancer 310) together withencounters and medical conditions (e.g., in section 315) associated withthe encounters providing a user an overview of long term and short termmedical conditions of a patient. In step 213 system 10 and the FIG. 2process are adaptively configured in response to predeterminedinstruction to adapt processing to a particular selected diagnosis sothat data processing functions employed are adaptively selected tocorrespond to a particular diagnosis type. Thereby, for example, inresponse to a selected cancer diagnosis, system 10 prompts a user toenter staging information for use in identifying a cancer stage of apatient.

In step 208 (FIG. 2) a user selects a clinical diagnosis 310 (FIG. 3)and in step 211 associates clinical diagnosis 310 with financial (i.e.,ICD9) diagnosis codes 768.9 and 432.9 in visit section 315. Userinterface display image 303 of FIG. 3 provides to user 307 selectablefunctions and associated display images indicated in column 330including CDP (clinical data processing) 311, allergies, consent forms,flowsheets, assessments, notes, medications/IVs, interventions andmanually entered patient data and results. Image window area 323including Complaint 313, Diagnosis 321 and 315 and Problem 317 sectionsfor Medical/surgical department 320 of a hospital is presented inresponse to user selection of CPD item 311. Complaint, section item 313is selectable to initiate generation of an image menu enabling a user toenter data indicating a complaint. Diagnosis section item 315 isselectable to initiate generation of an image menu enabling a user toenter data indicating a financial reimbursement associated diagnosiscode (e.g., an ICD9 code). A financial reimbursement associateddiagnosis code is typically entered in individual records of each visitfor use in accurate claim preparation for reimbursement of costs by ahealthcare payer organization.

Diagnosis section item 321 is selectable to initiate generation of imagemenu 350 enabling a user to enter and associate data indicating a longterm medical condition diagnosis with a financial reimbursementassociated diagnosis code. The long term medical condition diagnosis isalso associated with a patient and with visits in section 315 andmultiple encounter identifiers identifying corresponding interactions ofthe patient with a healthcare provider organization and medicalconditions associated with the encounters. The long term medicalcondition diagnosis is associated with a patient and this associationpersists for a time span encompassing multiple patient visits(encounters) including up to a patient lifetime for a lifetime typemedical condition diagnosis. An encounter is used interchangeably withvisit herein and comprises a patient interaction with a healthcareorganization including an inpatient or outpatient visit, data exchangeor phone call, for example.

Image menu 350 enables a user to enter and edit data indicating aclinical diagnosis 353 and corresponding stage 356 as well as an initialdiagnosis date 359. The staging information is based on a user selectedappropriate staging scale and source. Menu 350 also enables a user toenter and edit status 363, disease site 365 and associated comments 368.In another embodiment, a short term medical diagnosis may also beentered. Problem section item 317 is selectable to initiate generationof an image menu enabling a user to enter data indicating a problem.

System 10, in step 215 (FIG. 2), adaptively configures processing inresponse to predetermined instruction and selected clinical diagnosis310. Specifically, in response to selected lung cancer diagnosis 310,system 10 prompts a user to enter staging information for use inidentifying a cancer stage of a patient via image menu 350. System 10prompts a user by initiating generation of a message for communicationto a user via a display image prompt, adding a task to a worker tasklist or by another method of communication such as by pager, phone voicemessage or email, for example. In an alternative embodiment, system 10provides a user with image menu 350 without providing a prompt message.In step 218 a user initiates an order for tests or treatments to beadministered to the patient. The order is associated with the selectedlung cancer diagnosis 310 using order entry system 35 (FIG. 1). Orderentry system 35 initiates generation of display images for presentationon workstation 12 enabling a user to place orders. The order entrydisplay images include user selectable links (e.g., hyperlinks) enablinga user to access best practice and treatment guidelines associated witha medical condition and diagnosis. System 10 in step 223 initiatesgeneration of a proposed plan of care based upon the selected lungcancer diagnosis 310. The proposed plan of care indicates a course oftreatment for the medical condition indicated by patient diagnosis 310.

System 10 provides and stores in repository 17, a lifetime history of aclinical diagnosis. Repository 17 organizes clinically relevant data(diagnostics, treatment, notes) in association with an appropriateclinical diagnosis, providing a physician with a single entry point anddisplay image for viewing patient information. Repository 17 associatesa financial reimbursement associated diagnosis code with a clinicallyrelevant description (e.g. ICD9 code) known and used by the clinicians.For example, ICD 9 174.9 is Malignant Neoplasm of the Breast. In theclinical world, this is translated into Breast Cancer.

Financial reimbursement associated diagnosis codes and code sets includeHIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) compatiblecode sets and other code sets used in a health care operation. Such codesets include, for example, ICD (International Classification ofDiseases) codes, 9th Edition, Clinical Modification, (ICD-9-CM), Volumes1, 2 and 3, as well as ICD-10 maintained and distributed by the U.S.Health and Human Services department. The code sets also include codesets compatible with HCPCS (Health Care Financing Administration CommonProcedure Coding System), NDC (National Drug Codes), CPT-4. (CurrentProcedural Terminology), Fourth Edition CDPN (Code on Dental Proceduresand Nomenclature). Further the code sets and terms include code setscompatible with SNOMED-RT “Systematicized Nomenclature of Medicine,Reference Terminology” by the College of American Pathologists, UMLS(Unified Medical Language System), by the National Library of Medicine,LOINC Logical Observation Identifiers, Names, and Codes RegenstriefInstitute and the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes(LOINC®) Committee, Clinical Terms also known as “Read Codes”, DIN DrugIdentification Numbers, Reimbursement Classifications including DRGsDiagnosis Related Groups. The code sets also include code setscompatible with CDT Current Dental Terminology, NIC (Nursingintervention codes) and Commercial Vocabulary Services (such asHealthLanguage by HealthLanguage Inc., by Apelon Inc.) and other codesets used in healthcare.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a process performed by system 10 forproviding an overview display of patient medical condition (e.g., asillustrated in FIG. 3) identifying both long term and short term medicalconditions. The steps of FIG. 4 may be performed automatically. In step402 following the start at step 401, designation processor 25 (FIG. 1)designates an identified patient medical condition as being long term,in response to user command. Designation processor 25 automaticallyparses data representing a patient diagnosis and identifies dataindicating a potentially long term medical condition (such as cancer,diabetes or congestive heart failure) in the patient diagnosis (or datarepresenting a patient medical condition) based on a predetermined listof potentially long term medical conditions and automatically initiatesproviding a user with a prompt message prompting a user to select apatient medical condition as being a long term medical condition. Forthis purpose designation processor 25 automatically initiates providinga user with a corresponding candidate list of potentially long termmedical conditions enabling a user to select a particular long termmedical condition for association with a patient. Designation processor25 associates a designated long term patient medical condition with aparticular patient. In another embodiment, designation processor 25automatically identifies data indicating a potentially long term medicalcondition based on a predetermined list of potentially long tern medicalconditions.

In step 404 system 10 stores information in at least one repository 17mutually associating a designated long term patient medical conditionwith a patient and with multiple patient visits and visit/encounteridentifiers identifying corresponding interactions of the patient with ahealthcare provider organization and medical conditions associated withthe encounters and with at least one financial reimbursement relateddiagnosis code (e.g., ICD9 code) supporting reimbursement for servicesprovided during multiple patient visits. User interface 26 in step 407initiates generation of data representing a composite display imagewindow including data identifying a designated long term patient medicalcondition and a short term patient medical condition together withmultiple patient visits (encounters) and medical conditions associatedwith the encounters providing a user an overview of long term and shortterm medical conditions of a patient. The identified patient medicalcondition is identified from a condition representative code in apredetermined code set, for example. The composite display image windowenables a user to associate at least one financial reimbursement relateddiagnosis code supporting reimbursement for services provided duringmultiple patient visits with a text phrase representing a clinicaldiagnosis. User interface 26 adaptively alters user interface dataprocessing in response to a patient diagnosis. For example, a designatedlong term patient medical condition is cancer and user interface 26adaptively alters user interface data processing in response to apatient diagnosis by initiating generation of data representing adisplay image element supporting acquisition of data identifying a stageof patient cancer from physician data entry. Further, user interface 26also initiates generation of data representing a care plan in responseto data indicating a patient diagnosis.

In step 409, workflow processor 29 automatically initiates prompting auser to confirm addition of a task to a task list of a healthcare workerin response to, designation of an identified patient medical conditionas being long term and data identifying at least one of, (a) a shortterm medical condition of the patient, (b) an order for treatment to beadministered to the patient and (c) a laboratory test result of thepatient. Workflow processor 29 also adaptively alters user interfacedata processing in response to data indicating a patient diagnosis.Converter 15 in step 413 automatically translates a code representingthe identified patient medical condition (e.g., a financialreimbursement related diagnosis code) to a text phrase representing theidentified patient medical condition understandable by a clinician andthe composite display image window includes the text phrase. Converter15 also automatically translates the financial reimbursement relateddiagnosis code to multiple text phrases representing clinical diagnosesunderstandable by a clinician using a predetermined map associatingcodes with one or more corresponding text phrases indicating one or moreclinical diagnoses. Converter 15 uses additional patient informationincluding one or more of, patient assessments, patient demographic dataand patient record information, to select between different text phrasesindicating one or more clinical diagnoses. The process of FIG. 4terminates at step 421.

The system and processes of FIGS. 1-4 are not exclusive. Other systems,processes and menus may be derived in accordance with the principles ofthe invention to accomplish the same objectives. Although this inventionhas been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to beunderstood that the embodiments and variations shown and describedherein are for illustration purposes only. Modifications to the currentdesign may be implemented by those skilled in the art, without departingfrom the scope of the invention. System 10 is usable by differenthealthcare facilities, departments and specialties in automaticallyconverting a financial diagnosis description of a medical condition intoclinical terminology and associating a clinical diagnosis with a patientand multiple patient visits. The processes and applications may inalternative embodiments, be located on one or more (e.g., distributed)processing devices accessing a network linking the elements of FIG. 1.Further, any of the functions and steps provided in FIGS. 1-4 may beimplemented in hardware, software or a combination of both and mayreside on one or more processing devices located at any location of anetwork linking the elements of FIG. 1 or another linked networkincluding the Internet.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for providing an overview of patientmedical condition identifying both long term and short term medicalconditions, comprising: a designation processor for designating anidentified patient medical condition as being long term in response touser command; at least one repository for storing informationassociating a designated long term patient medical condition with apatient and with a plurality of encounter identifiers identifyingcorresponding interactions of said patient with a healthcare providerorganization and medical conditions associated with said encounters; anda user interface for initiating generation of data representing acomposite display image window including data identifying a designatedlong term patient medical condition together with encounters and medicalconditions associated with said encounters providing a user an overviewof long term and short term medical conditions of a patient.
 2. A systemaccording to claim 1, wherein said designation processor automaticallyparses data representing a patient diagnosis and identifies dataindicating a potentially long term medical condition in said patientdiagnosis and automatically initiates providing a user with a promptmessage prompting a user to select a patient medical condition as beinga long term medical condition.
 3. A system according to claim 2, whereinsaid designation processor automatically identifies data indicating apotentially long term medical condition based on a predetermined list ofpotentially long term medical conditions.
 4. A system according to claim1, wherein said designation processor automatically parses datarepresenting a patient medical condition and identifies data indicatingat least one potentially long term medical condition in said datarepresenting a patient medical condition and automatically initiatesproviding a user with a corresponding candidate list of potentially longterm medical conditions enabling a user to select a particular long termmedical condition for association with a patient.
 5. A system accordingto claim 1, including a workflow processor for automatically prompting auser to confirm addition of a task to a task list of a healthcare workerin response to, designation of an identified patient medical conditionas being long term and data identifying at least one of, (a) a shortterm medical condition of said patient, (b) an order for treatment to beadministered to said patient and (c) a laboratory test result of saidpatient.
 6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said identifiedpatient medical condition is identified from a condition representativecode in a predetermined code set.
 7. A system according to claim 6,including a converter for automatically translating a code representingsaid identified patient medical condition to a text phrase representingsaid identified patient medical condition understandable by a clinician.8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said composite display imagewindow includes said text phrase.
 9. A system according to claim 1,wherein said designation processor associates a designated long termpatient medical condition with a particular patient.
 10. A system forproviding an overview of patient medical condition identifying both longterm and short term medical conditions, comprising: a designationprocessor for automatically designating an identified patient medicalcondition as being long term by parsing data representing a patientmedical condition and identifying data indicating a potentially longterm medical condition in said data representing a patient medicalcondition based on a predetermined list of potentially long term medicalconditions; at least one repository for storing information associatinga designated long term patient medical condition with a patient and witha plurality of encounter identifiers identifying correspondinginteractions of said patient with a healthcare provider organization andmedical conditions associated with said encounters; and a user interfacefor initiating generation of data representing a composite display imagewindow including data identifying a designated long term patient medicalcondition together with encounters and medical conditions associatedwith said encounters providing a user an overview of long term and shortterm medical conditions of a patient.